US1634983A

US1634983A - Clutch-control device

Info

Publication number: US1634983A
Application number: US29780A
Authority: US
Inventors: Cotterill Walter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1925-05-12
Filing date: 1925-05-12
Publication date: 1927-07-05
Anticipated expiration: 1944-07-05

Description

w- COTTERILL LuTcH coNTRoL DE'rLIE .my 5 v1927.

2 Sheets-Sheet A 1 Filed March 12, 1925 July 5, 1927.

1,634,983 l w. COTTERILL cLUTcH CONTROL DEVICE `Filed March l2. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 in elevation and the: mec

Patented July 5, 1927.

Lenses.

PATENT orifice.

l WALTEBICOTTEEIEL, oErHiLADELrHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

`CLUTCH-CONTROL DEVICE.

Applicatie@inefiviviayia, 1525. seriai'l'No. 29,780. i

wfheprincipal 'object'oi thisY invention is rto 'provide novel means for facilitating Vthe Shifting of] gea-rs kforming Vav partV oi the transmission .of motor vehicles and the. lili'e. more specific object'ot` the invention is to provide ymea-ns tor automatically and momentarily re-engaging the` 'clutch after the initial disengagement'whereby the gear- Ishitting operation which follows a tinaldisengage-ment of the clutch will be materially facilitated.' The inventionfnrther resides in the struc; turalpdetailsV of the `novel mechanism provided for the `above statedl purposes.

' A device madein accordance with my inventionis illust-ratedy in the attached drawings, in whichf l f Figurel is sectional view transversely of the clutch shaft showinor the clutch pedal llianism linterconnecting the pedal with theshaft;

, Figi2 is arear elevation of the parts illustrated in Fig. l; f

4:Figf is a-vsection on the line 3'-3, Fig. 2; i Fig is a view in perspective ofa pawl constituting an element of Atherdevice;

Fig. 5 is a View similar'fto F ig. 3 but showingtlie partsin the 'relative positions assumed after the'initial disengagement and.r

tlie consequent r-e-eng`a`gement offthe clutch; l Fig. 6 is a vreduced`r more 'or-less diagram.'- matic view illustrating the device applied to a common formfot' clutch, the latter being shown in section ,1*

Fig. y7 is a side elevation of agmodiication tion; I. Y Y f Y Fig. 8 is arear elevation of the device shown in Fig. 7'; i

` l ig. 9 is a sectiony on the line'9-9, Fig.

`8',and I v `:'Fig. 10 is a view `in perspective of the pawl used in the inodilied form of the device.

4.5 In shifting the gears ofinotor vehicles,

` it has been found yof material assistance, particularly with multiple disk'clutches,` to

momentarily re-engagethe clutch following an initialdisengagement suiiicient'to permitV aA movement of the gearrshitt lever to the neutral position. y Inithis procedure., the *op` erator of the vehicle'in shifting gears disengao'es the clutch jsuHiCiently, as previously statec. to permit disengaging the gearsv'and .55. to vadvance the gearishifting lever to the plied.

of the device 'withinfthelscope'ofthe inven? neutral position. Immediately following this disengagement of the gears, the clutch `is permitted to reen'gag'e, andthe final shift of the gears into mesh follows al secondand final disengagement of the clutch. i

In my present invention, I liav-eprovided a mechanical device for automatically eiectingthe momentary ire-engagement of the clutch withr a normal straight through movement of tlieclutchpedal. l

Vith reference to thedrawings, l indi- Cates ashaft to which the movable clutch element or elements is operatively connected, l

and 2 the pedal ordinarily iXed to the clutch shaft and providing means whereby the Op-r vconstitutes a means forV supporting the pedal 2 in Y a 'normal elevated position Yassumed while the clutch is engaged, and the clutch, Y

asis customary, will 'include springs which normally retain'the clutch elements in engagement.

In Fig. forni 'of clutch to which' the :device: isV ap- This clutch comprises a relatively fixed member 26 carried by ashatt 27 and adapted to be engaged by the relatively mov-` able cone-shaped element 28. This latter is spliii'ed'to a shaft 29 in alignment. with but independent of the shaft 27 .and the.- move'- ment of the element 28 "axiallyof the shaft 29 .into Yand'out of engagementwith the member v26 is controlled by the joperator through the pedal 2. stance, the shaft l is provided with an l`arm V30 suitably connected to a collar 131 which seats in an annular recess 82-in the hub of the element- 28, and'counterclockwise rotation of the shaftl through the pedal 2 accordingly resultsv inan axial movement the element 28.0nvthesha-t 29 against theV tension of a ,spring 33 confined-between the end of the hub portion of the element 28 and a xed collar 34. l

rThe shaft is provided in the present instance with a section`4 of increased diameter, and surrounding this enlarged portion il lI provide a sleeve 5 which is free to inove circumferentially of the shaft within pre! determined limits, asV hereinafter described. The sleeve 5 includes a. lug or ear 6 projecting yfrom the periph-eryfand to this lug or 6, I have illustratedy asimple In the present infill lil

ear is pivotally secured, by means of a bolt Y, the pedal 2. the latter being provided with two spaced lugs 8, bet-neen which the said lug t5 tits. as indicated in Fig. l. .the pedal 2 is also provided, as clearly shown in lfig. l, with a semi-circular extension t) passing around the sleeve 5 and haringits einer end connected by a spring lo to the lng ti on the said sleeve, the spring being secured to the treadle extension 9 in the present instance by means of a holt 1t wnerebj.' the tension o't' the spring may be adjusted.

The device further comprises a pair of

Side plates

12 and 13 which are secured by the bolt T and bolts 11- and 15 to the opposite sides of the extension t) of the pedal whereby they lie one on each side of and constitute a housing for the enlargement gl of the shaft 1 and the sleeve As shown in Fig. 1, the sleeve 5 is provided with a recess 16 which holds a panl 1T of a `forni clearly shown in Fig. iit, this pan'l being provided with trunnionsI 1S, 1b', one on each side, which in assembly are journaled in slots 19 in the side plates l2 and 13. Also as shown in Fig. 1, the part L1 of the shaft is provided in its periphery with a groove :2O adapted to be engaged by the pawl 1T, thereby locking the sleeve t to the shaft. Additional means for connecting the treadle with the shaft 1 consists ol'l pins 21 and which project from the opposite faces of the enlarged portion l of the shaft and through slots 23 and in the

side plates

12 and 13. i y

As shown in Fig. il, the aperture :La in the plates 12` and 13 through which the shaft l projects is in the forni of a slot, thereby providing for relative movement between the said side plates and the shaft.` and the longitudinal axis of this slot 25 is preferably coincident with an are drawn with the axis of the bolt 7 asa center. i The lower end of the slot and the upper end ofthe slot lletrsee Fig. 1, are also preferably formed with their longitudinal center lines on an arc whose center the longitudinal axis of the bolt T, and these portions of each ot the slots 23 and 24: may correspond in length substantially to the difference between the. total length of the slot Q5 and the diameter of the shaft 1. The remainder of the slots 23 and Q4 are formed with their center lines concentric with the shaft 1 when the shalt occupies the lower end of the slot as shown in Fig. 5. i

The operation of the device is as follows: An initial pressure upon the pedal 2 will ellect rotation of the sleeve 5 and of the shaft 1. through the pawl 17 engaging the recess 20, as shown in Fig. 1. Rotation of the shaft results in a disengagenient of the clutch and a partial compression oit the spring`- 38 which tends to hold the clutch in engagement. Compression of the clutch spring increases the pressure opposing rotatation of the shaft 1 through the pedal, and when this back pressure reaches a predetern'lined amount, there is a tendency for the `pedal to pivot orturnaround the pivot bolt T. As a result ot this movement of the pedal,` the paWl 17 is withdrawn from the recess 20, this being ellected through the movement of the

side plates

12 and 13 with the pedal in its oscillation about the pivot bolt "l" and the consequent elevation of the pawl tlirough the trunnions 1S, 1S, which are lodged in the recesses lt) in thc said side plates. rlhe slots 19 provide for the relative movement between the side plates and the trnnnions 18 of the pawl.

Withdraval of the pawl from the recess 2t) releases the shaft 1 and permits the clutch spring 33 to .re-engage the clutch, and this reverse movement of the shaft also carries the pins .21 and 2Q into or near the ends of the slots "i3 and 24C, as shown in Fig. 5 A continued pressure on the pedal accordingly results through the side plates and the pins 2l and 22 in a further movement of the shaft in a countercloclnvise direction, see Qh`ig. l, and a consequent second release of the clutch. f y

la opeating the device, the operator so times the movcinent ofthe gear shift lever that the latter is moved into the neutral posi tion immediately following or coincident with the initial release of the clutch, the lever being held in neutral until the final release of the clutch, when it is shifted further to complete the change of gears.

lt will benoted thatthe slot 25 and those ends of the

slots

23 and 24 normally occupied by the

pins

21 and 22 are so formed as to provide for the movement of the pedal 2 and the

side plates

12 and 1?, which move with the pedal, around the bolt 7 as an axis, Also the spring l() which tends to retain the pedal 2 in the normal relativej position, as shon'nin Fig. l, with respect to the shaft and the sleeve, may be adjusted to proride for a release of the pawl 17` from `the recess Q0 at the proper moment following the initial disengagement` oit the clutch. The spring 3 insures a normal retention of thc pedal lever i? in the elevated normal position.

ltwill be apparent that there may be very material moditications in the details of thifi` device Without departure from the `essential features of the invention, and one such modi-` fication I have illustrated in `Figs. 7 to 1t), inclusive. ln this instance, the shaft 1 provided with an enlarged substantially cylindrical portion having in one side an elongated peripheral recess 3G and at the opposite side a substantially V-shaped recess 3T. The enlarged part 35 of the shaft is surrounded bv a sleeve 3S. to `which is at` tached the pedal i, the pedal and the sleeve being `lornied integrally in the present `in- Htl Bti

stance. "The sleeve 38 has' an inwardly pro-1 jecting lug 39 which occupies the recess36, the dimensions of thelug- 39 yproviding fora relative movementbetween the sleeve Vand* the shaft 1.V The sleeve `lalsohas av recess' 40 in` its inner face adapted for reception ofapawl 41 adapted'to 'engage the recess 37 inthe'enlarg'ement 35 lof the shaft lto therev by'operatively connect these partstogetlierfor the initial 'rotative movementzof the sha-ft through the pedal 2.

sleeve 38. The plates 44 are prevented from rotating in the present instance by a fixedv member 49,'to which'the said platesare securedfby'means ofthe bolt 46, wliichflatter I extends through a slot in thefmember 49,

shown in Fig. 7.

as 'clearly/illustrated. The slots() provides for an-angular'adjustment of the plates 44 withrespect to the other elements whereby the position of thev plates 44"ma'y be varied and the point of release of tliepawl 4l in the advance movement of the lever thereby adjusted as desired.

Assuming the 'partsto be in the positions shown in Fig. 7, it willbe apparent that pressure on the pedal2 will effect through the pawl 41 a vcounterclockwisev angular movement of the shaft 1.15This movement of the 4shaft will continueuntil'the `trunnions 42 of the pawl 41 ride up into the outwardly extending portions of the cam slots 43, which has theeifect of retracting the pawl 41- froml the recess 37 and permitting the reverse rotation of the shaft 1 as t-he clutch spring acts to re-engage the clutch elements. Reverse movement of the shaft 1, however, bringsthe lug 39 ofthe

sleeve

3,8 into t-he for ard' end of the recess 36, as shown in Fig. 9, whereby the continued downward movement of the pedal 2 results in a continuance of the counterclockwise rotation of the shaft 1 and the further and final disengagement of the clutch parts. Release of the pedal 2 by the foot of the operator results in a return of the parts to the initial relative positions, as

It will be noted that in this form of my device the retraction of the pawl 41 is a positive one resulting from the interaction of the trunnions 42 of the pawl and the cam slots 43.

I claim:

1. The combination with a rock shaft, of resilient means opposing rotation of the shaft in one direction, a lever journaled on the gs'haftand having an operative connectionfwith the shfaftwvhereby the shaft. maybe "rotated iii-opposition to saidlresil ient means, and mechanism automatically operative in the normal movement ofsa'id lever to rotate the shaftvto momentarily release the shaft'from the lever following e. predetermined movement of the shaft.

2. The combination withla rock shaft. of resilient means opposing rotationof the shaft in one direction,- -a lever journaled on the shaft and having anl operative connection with the shaft-whereby the latter `may be movedin opposition to saidresilient means, means automatically operative inthe normal movement of the lever to rotate' the shaft to temporarily releasethe shaft-- from the lever, 'and'resilient means for returning' the lever to a normal retracted position. f

3. The combination with a'froclr shaft,of resilient means opposing rotation of the shaft in one direction, a lever'journaled on the shaft and normally resiliently retained in a retracted position, a pawl operatively connecting t-he lever with the shaft, secondary interengaging kelements on the shaftand lever providing. anl operative connection therebetween .with lost motionfandrmeans for automatically disengaging the pawl fol-V lowingv a. predetermined advance' movement of the lever wherebyy the aforesaidlostmotion permits returnof the shaft tothe normal position. by said resilient mea-ns and consequent operative reengageinent of the shaft with the lever through said secondary connection.

4.v The combination with-afroclr shaft, of resilient meansy opposing rotaitionof., the shaft in one direction, a-lever'fjournaled'on the shaft, a pawl carried by the lever and operatively engaging the shaft whereby the shaft is movable with the lever in opposition to said resilient means, relatively fixed cam means for releasing the pawl following a predetermined forward movement of the lever, independent means for operatively reengaging the shaft and the lever following a reverse return movement of the shaft by said resilient means, and resilientv means for returning the lever to the normal retracted position.

5. The combination with a rock shaft, of resilient means opposing rotation of the shaft in one direction, a lever journaled on the shaft, a pawl carried by the lever and engaging the shaft whereby the shaft may be rotated through the lever in opposition to said resilient means,relatively fixed plates at opposite sides of said lever, said 'plates having cam slots, trunnions on said pawl l extending into said cam slots,v the slots being so arranged that the pawl is released from theshaft following a predetermined forward movement of the lever from the normal retracted position, secondary kmeans for operatively connecting the lever with the shaft etleetive following release of said pawl and return of the shaft to the normal p0si tion by isaid resilient means, and resilient means tending to retain the lever in the normal retracted position. i

6. l`he combination with a roel; shaft, of resilient means opposing rotation of the shaft. in one direction, a lever jonrnaled on the shaft, a pawl carried by the lever and adapted to engage the shaft whereby the shaft may be rotated through the lever, resilient means tending to retain the lever in a normally retracted position,. adjustable means for releasing the pawl from the shaft following a predetermined forward `movement of the lever from said normal retracted position, and seeomlary means for operatively connecting the lever with the shaft effective following release of said pawl and return of the shaft to the normal position by the resilient means connected therewith.

7. The combination with a roch shaft, of resilient means opposing rotation of the shaft in one direction, a lever journaled on the shaft, a pawl carried by the lever and adapted to operatively engage the shaft whereby the shaft may be rotated through `the lever, resilient means tending to retain the lever in a normal retracted position, a relatively-lixed element having a cam slot located adjacent the side of said lever, a trminion on the pawl adapted to extend into said cam slot, said slot having parts extending eireumferentially of the shaft but with dil'l'erent radii whereby after a prede terniined forward moven'lent of the lever from the normal retracted position the pawl is automatically released from the shaft to permit the shaft to return to its normal position, means for adJusting the slotted member circumferentially of Athe shaft whereby the point of release of said pawl with `respect to the normal position of the parts may be varied, and secondary means lor opera@ tively connecting the shaft with the lever etfective :following release of the pawl and return of the shaft to the normal position whereby continued forward movement of the lever results in a second rotation of the shaftin opposition to its resilient` retaining means. i t5. 'lhe combination with a rock shaft, of resilient means opposing rotation of the shaft in one direction, a .lever for rotating the shaft in the opposite direction, mechanis-1n connecting the lever and shaft ineludingl means for momentarily releasing and thereafter reconnecting the shaft from and with the lever following a predetermined movement of the shaft in opposition to said resilient means, and adjustment means whereby the said predeterniined movement of the shaft preceding `the momentary release may be varied. y

2). The combination with a clutch ineluding resilient means tending to retain the clutch elements in engagenient, of means for disengaging the clutch elements including an operating member, autom-atie means for momentarily disengaging the clutch from the operatiiig member during a continuous declulching movement of the latter, and ad justinent means whereby the momentary disengagement may be made to occur at a prew ferred point in the said continuous declulclr ing movement of the operating member.